Six Solutions to Fix the Supreme Court
Term limits, a binding code of ethics, and cameras in the Court are changes that Congress can make to bring the Court up to date and into line.
The Benchmark features Supreme Court analysis, public opinion polling, and other resources from a diverse array of authors, including scholars, advocates, and retired judges. It provides a forum for examining how the Court uses its power, how its practices affect democratic stability, and how it can be improved.
Reform | Cases | Public Opinion | How the Court Operates | Major Questions with Jesse Wegman
Supreme Court and Reform
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Term Limits Depoliticize the Supreme Court
A fixed schedule for appointments would reduce political manipulation and make the Court more representative. -
The Long History of Supreme Court Reform
Americans have tinkered with the high court since the founding. -
Why Term Limits for Supreme Court Justices Make Sense
Term limits are good policy and can be implemented by statute, a former federal appeals court judge explains.
Supreme Court Cases
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Finishing Off Voting Rights Act, Supreme Court Declares Racism Over — Again
The Court’s conservative majority used outdated examples to say the racial gap in voter turnout has closed, but in reality, the gap is growing. -
Birthright Citizenship Shouldn’t Be Up for Debate
The text and history of the 14th Amendment are clear, yet the case is at the Supreme Court. -
Supreme Court Arguments Involved Misleading Claims About Mail Ballots
Comments by both parties and some of the justices included inaccurate information. Voters could pay the price.
Supreme Court and Public Opinion
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Public Opinion on Term Limits and Other Supreme Court Reforms
An assessment of nine polls shows a general public demand for changes to the appointment process and justices’ tenure. -
25 Years After Bush v. Gore, Supreme Court and Election Law Still Feel the Fallout
The 5–4 decision started a long slide in public approval for the court, accentuated by a widening partisan gap. -
The Supreme Court and Abuse of Power
The justices are supposed to check the president, but who will check the justices?
How the Supreme Court Operates
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The Supreme Court Shadow Docket Comes into the Light
Leaked memos show that the Supreme Court’s emergency docket is rife with double standards. -
Former Texas Chief Justice on the Importance of Court Transparency
The Supreme Court of Texas has long allowed cameras in its courtroom and takes the unique approach of allowing clerks to sit in on conferences. -
Supreme Court Shadow Docket Tracker — Challenges to Trump Administration Actions
The Court is ruling on challenges to government actions on its emergency docket, often without explaining its decisions or providing guidance to lower courts.
Major Questions with Jesse Wegman
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The Supreme Court’s Hermetically Sealed Logic on the Voting Rights Act
In decimating one of the most sacred and popular pieces of legislation in American history, Justice Samuel Alito quotes himself. -
A Tale of Two Courts: Rucho v. Baker
Our modern gerrymandering nightmare is the fault of the Roberts Court, which lacked the guts to do its most important job. -
Public Opinion, Credible Threats, and the Fezzik Principle
History (and The Princess Bride) shows how to bring the Supreme Court into line with the American people.
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